INSIDER – Favors makes Utah home

Derrick Favors sat on the podium at the Zions Bank Center just 14 days older than Karl Malone when he made his debut for the Jazz as the new cornerstone for the Utah Jazz.

Utah has become home for Derrick Favors. Favors mom was the first to tell Derrick that Utah was going to be ok. Now Favors has bought a house in Utah and hopes to spend his career in the beehive state.

More importantly than Utah being home, Favors is now part of the family. Today, Greg Miller talked about how the caliber of players on and off the floor is an extension of the Miller family. The young polite southern man Derrick Favors is a now a part of the Miller family and under those expectations.

Speaking of family it was clear that Derrick’s mom still has her influence. Derrick talks often about how often his mom watches a game and calls him to say get a haircut. Today Derrick was sporting a brand new haircut.

Dennis Lindsey talked a good deal about the trust factor in negotiations. The Favors camp felt the Jazz had been true to their word communicating with Derrick and his representation throughout his tenure in Utah. Interesting to hear this since there has been so much concern that the limited roll over the last few years would sour Favors feeling about being in Utah.

The future talk was present. Both Steve and Greg Miller referring to Favors as the first piece in the build toward a championship. Steve Miller added in the first of many steps. Dennis Lindsey has mentioned on numerous occasions that to be an elite team you must be top 10 defensively and to win you have to be top 5 defensively. Favors is that piece.

Dennis Lindsey said “We want to keep great people.” The Jazz locked one up today who has made Utah his home.